tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post8846282179061411030..comments2024-03-26T09:38:39.888+00:00Comments on Borthlas: Getting there eventuallyJohn Dixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-88080464750308051122011-08-21T21:00:21.455+01:002011-08-21T21:00:21.455+01:00Glyndo,
I agree that many of the individual contr...Glyndo,<br /><br />I agree that many of the individual contracts agreed by the public sector negotiators were heavily biased in favour of the private sector 'partner.' <br /><br />In many cases however the negotiators were under presure from senior civil servants and politicians to concede key points.Welsh Agendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06123802771650817748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-11493446831152148042011-08-21T09:44:09.136+01:002011-08-21T09:44:09.136+01:00Glyndo,
I don't entirely disagree with your c...Glyndo,<br /><br />I don't entirely disagree with your comments. I certainly agree that PFI is, esentially, just a different way of borrowing, although its exponents have at times tried to pretend otherwise. But it's an expensive way of borrowing; there are cheaper alternatives available to government.<br /><br />And I also agree that one of the main reasons that it is so expensive is down to the way the deals have been negotiated. But I suspect that there is something pretty inevitable about such an outcome; and if that problem is unfixable, the method of borrowing is always going to be a bad deal.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-42458536519302520192011-08-20T18:24:44.182+01:002011-08-20T18:24:44.182+01:00The history of PFI so far has been that the allege...The history of PFI so far has been that the alleged benefits have been totally illusory. The benefits have been privatised, but the risks have been brought even more firmly into the public domain. Additionally, the idea that the public obligation would not be on the balance sheet has been shown to be completely fraudulent and dishonest,<br /><br />Only and idiot could continue to think that this was a good way to finance public works. Can there really be any such idiots still in public office?Siônnynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00021974709953206048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-66713185333455854352011-08-20T16:38:54.474+01:002011-08-20T16:38:54.474+01:00Mr Dixon,
You are right you did spot this at its b...Mr Dixon,<br />You are right you did spot this at its birth, I remember the debates.<br />The question is what came first –the politicians PFI scheme or the Banksters “off book trading”?Spirit of BMEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-43300199307619311352011-08-20T12:22:05.621+01:002011-08-20T12:22:05.621+01:00I never saw PFI as being inherently bad. It is a m...I never saw PFI as being inherently bad. It is a means of raising money, whilst keeping the figures off the Governments books. This may be deceitful, but it isn’t bad as such. <br />The problem, in my opinion, was in the negotiations. A Private company’s existence is, in part, linked to their negotiating skills. Therefore, they tend to be good at it. They are out to maximise their profits, what a surprise. Who can blame them? Some people seem to think that because they are dealing with public monies they should put aside their strategies and skills, bunkum. <br />Public service employees are not exactly renowned for efficient purchasing, and their continued existence is fairly safe. I say that with a little trepidation, because we mustn’t criticise our selfless public servants, but I believe it to be true. They’re just not very good at this are they?<br />So when we have a situation where one negotiates with the other, we land up with contracts heavily weighted in favour of the private companies. Well, who would have thought it?<br />People then get all het up and say, PFI is bad. For some reason they don’t say Health Boards, Councils or Government are crap at setting them up. PFIs are simply a convoluted form of borrowing, a means of getting around a problem.<br /><br />Stands back and waits.Glyndonoreply@blogger.com